121: How Do You Clearly Know What to Do?

Knowing and Leaning

Iâ€™ve always seen you as having a great deal of clarity around your blogging and your business. What do you lean on to help you keep that clarity?

Why is that? How is that? I clearly know what to do? I have to start with a story . . .

This week, I spoke to a close friend on the phone about the serious accident that involved her child. We talked about how every member of her family was doing. She mentioned that one member in particular “rose to the occasion,” and was always the best person, a hero, when emergencies happen.

For a moment the conversation was about how tragedy brings out the higher side of people — that they suddenly become clear in knowing what’s important in life. We talked slowly together about how most folks we knew dropped pretense and petty issues in favor of authentically showing up to offer support. They clearly knew what to do. . . .

Since one particular morning years ago when I closed the door on my childhood, I’ve thought about this way that people get clear when faced with mortality. I’ve wondered about it. I’ve thought it’s a comfort that builds community.

I also have revisited character-building moments to keep my priorities straight.

You see, Dawud . . .

In my personal story . . . clarity in business and in life comes from knowing where I’ve been, where I’m going, and what I value on the days that tragedy strikes.

Some folks believe that people can’t help it when they mean things in anger. I believe the world is so many choices. I believe you can choose not to say something mean ever. I believe my work, if I do it right, can make me a better person. I try to live up to that.

When I write, I like to start out knowing what I want to say. When I do something, I like to know how I’m going to do it and why. When I live my life, I like to keep an eye on what I do — to see what I can learn. All of the time, I want my my heart in it feet first.

I don’t always succeed. I don’t always try.

But I know that if I show up and pay attention and if I keep myself looking in the direction where I’m headed, I’m likely to get there — even when, maybe especially when, I set the highest standards.

I also know that most of what I need is inside of me, not out there in other people. The truth is there to discover and to put to use as a light for my journey. I use that light to sort the good guys from the bad. I use it to keep the fire going when I’m going through the pains of learning.

When I fall, I have friends to lean on. I also have my head and heart packed tight with faith, hope, and love — yeah, love. Any business without love is, well, kind of heartless.

Heartless is not what I want to wake up to in the morning. I’m clear about that.

Who isn’t?

And since this is a one2one conversation . . . and I’m inherently currious . . . to Dawud, (and you too)

Have a question . . .
What do YOU wish for your business when it grows up?

Hi James,
If I’m hearing you corectly, you’re saying that what you hear in this post is that “do” and “don’t” are okay, but “I’ll try” is not. It could well be the subtext. I didn’t purposefully put it there, but it’s an ethic I do believe in. 🙂

I like what you’ve said, Liz, about keeping where you’ve been and where you’re going in mind, but that seems overwhelming to me! There are so many things to remember about lessons I’ve learned that aren’t quite habits yet, like the best ways to communicate with people (being honest is a strength of mine, but having tact is somewhat of a struggle!). How do you hold all these things at once?

When my business grows up, it will be a place for me to help other people understand the value of graphic design. I want to work closely with people who value my expertise and trust me as a professional.

I really like the way Dawud describes his business, the relationships he has with clients and the joys he shares with them as their businesses succeed.

I also want my business to facilitate a lifestyle focused around my family, and to be something I enjoy and that I can do from home (what I value highly).

Hi Lauren Marie!
Some of it comes with age, some comes with relaxing the stuff we put on ourselves. It helps to realize that we’re only human. It also helps to get enough sleep and to take time to reflect on a sunset . . . 🙂

We all need space to lay part of our burdens down so as not to feel overwhelmed, so as to have a bit of view to know which way to go. If you think about your goals that you wrote her when you wake up every morning, they’ll be in front of you all day long. 🙂

Hey, that’s some good advice! Yes, relaxing is one of the things I’m learning to do. It doesn’t have to be perfect and I can’t possibly know everything before I start; there’s stuff to learn along the way that I never would’ve imagined.

I went on a grueling backpacking trip this weekend and for the last mile all I could do was put one foot in front of the other and, very slowly, I made it to the destination: a beautiful mountain lake in the Sequoia National Park. I suppose that’s what life is like sometimes, do things that are difficult and the reward is so much better when you’re done 🙂

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